The Chief Rabbinate announced today that the kosher certification given by the Ramle Rabbinate to the Tal Hal Yiska slaughterhouse in Ohr Yehuda is invalid.

Head of the Kashrut division in the Rabbinate, Rabbi Yaakov Sabag, and the Head of the Anti-Fraud Kashrut Division, Rabbi Rafi Yochai, wrote:

“We wish to announce that HaRav HaGaon Yechiel Abuchatzeira shlita, Rabbi of the city of Ramle, is not qualified to give kosher certification under the law of anti-fraud Kashrut, in every level of Kashrut, be it regular or Mehadrin, in the city of Or Yehuda for the slaughterhouse “Tal Hal Yiska” since the area is off limits.”

“Consequently,” the Department of Kashrut emphasized,”there is no validity to the displayed Kosher Mehadrin certificate by the Rabbi of Ramle city. Slaughterhouse owners were summoned to a hearing with Rabbi of Or Yehuda before taking measures.”

The Chief Rabbinate of Israel told Arutz Sheva that Rabbi Zion Cohen, Rabbi of Or Yehuda, requested to simply lower the level of Kashrut from the slaughterhouse, but instead within an hour the slaughterhouse was given the higher-level certification of Kosher Mehadrin, authorized by Rabbi Yechiel Abuchatzeira.

Two weeks ago, Rabbi Zion Cohen announced the decision to reduce the level of Kashrut to the slaughterhouse “Tal Hal Yiska” from Mehadrin to regular kosher standards.

Rabbi Cohen wrote in his letter: “Unfortunately, I had to lower the level of Kosher Mehadrin status from their business, and today the level of Kashrut stands as regular kosher only."